The Huntress
by Syril Silverleaf
Summary: After the War of the Ring, A traitor King is over thrown and Aragorn's mUst deal with them, He enlists the daughter as a Hunter, working for him as a bandit hunter. Naruviel must now proove herself to Aragorn for the sake of herself and her family.
1. Chapter 1

Pain that was so new jolted through her fragile frame. They were gone. All of them, eveen their dog had been slaughtered. She could still feel the warm gush of blood on her body, the shock and numbness of the pain as she watched the light leave her father's eyes.

So ripe and new. This pain, this loss. How could one deal with the overwhealming emptyness? Slowly, Naruviel, daughter of kings, sat up on the hard stone cots in the dungeon that had once been filled with her father's enemies, now filled with the three that remained of his family.

Naru, spared only because she was female. Her four-year-old cousin, one day he was to have been a duke, slept on the cot in the cell next to her's with both thier blankets wraped around his small form. In the cell across from her and to her right her very old grandmother stared blankly out the window. She didn't sleep anymore. With a sigh filled with all the defeat any person could fell, Naru lifted herself off the cruel stone and walked stiffly over to the bars and leaned against them.

Speeking in her native tongue Naru asked her grandmother of the days to come. "Nish'tu'alvaniyen Dai nah no mian'el?" What of the last of our house, in these next dawns?

Her grandmother white hair gleamed in the dull light as she continued to stare out the window, sitting in the chair she had been allowed. it creaked as Damishna answered.

"Ta'ha reanulss dac'man'nu farrr'har kakk too'um alvaniyen Dai." The old woman answered. The trials of a traitors blood await the last of our house.

That was not good, Naru thought, turning so that her whelt covered back pressed lightly against the bars. Her back stung sharply and Naru faught back the curse of rage. Whipped by her father's enemies. It was a manstrous blaow to her pride and that of her grandmother's, it would have Timomni, her young cousin, might have been offended as well, if he knew what her being whipped like a dog ment. In sted he had cried in his grandmothers arms as he was forced to watch it. Luckily he had had his face hidden in Damun Dami's, grandmother Dami, skirts. Naru's bellyrolled as she remembered what Lord Hitherd had whispered to her as he watched his man raise the evil horse whip to strike the first blow.

"You'll take it three-fold for the old woman and the brat."

And they had given it to her three-fold. Though the insults she had snarled at Lord Hitherd throughout the ordeal had porbably made it worse. She had calle dhim everything under the sun and then had started on his mother when the messengers of Gondor had come hand halted the ordeal. Then they had been removed to the dungeons.

Later that night Hitherd had come to her, dragged her off to a private room and beat her some more. "Ungratful bitch!" he had roared as he back-handed her violently. Naru now reached up to tenderly feel the bruise on her cheek. Naru had refused his bed. Knocked off-balance, Naru had fallen to the ground when Hitherd landed on top of her. She had faught for all her worth, but in the end her starvation weakened body had been pushed to the brink and Naru soon hadn't been able to even lift a hand to stop Hitherd's wild, painful, groping hands and his disgusting, revolting, mouth.

When she had snarled at him that he would suffer the wrath of her ancestors and of herself her had punched her in the sside of the head, sending her into darkness. But the act of Hitherd raping her hadn't happened. She had been told by the maid who had brought her fresh clothes that he had been interrupted by a message from the newly crowned king of Gondor. Loel, the maid, once under the employ of her sister, had told her all of this as she helped her dres. Naru had felt the shame imediatly, even though deep downshe it had been no fault of hers that she had almost been raped, and still felt unclean.

Loel had also told her thast the king would be coming today. To speak with the last of a traitors house. Though Loel hadn;t actually said it, Naru knew that it ment that The three people of the last of Othrun of Celenurion's house were to die.

The king would be coming down here any minute. With a nother sigh and a shiver, Naru walked over to her cot and sat down to wait.

Aragorn swung off of the horses back and felt himself stiffen at the sense of instant dislike towards The conquering Lord Hitherd.

Faramir and Gimli and Legolas all dismounted and stood silently behind him, waiting. Diciding to ;eave his feelings alone for the moment, Aragorn summoned his most kingly tone and ordered a soldier to take him to the dungeons to the prisinors.

He had been obeyed.

Naru stood before the King of Gondor and faced the man with all the dignity she had left, which wasn't much. They were in a big room off of the kitchen, with two maids setting out a tea, Loel one of them. The king had gray eyes and dark hair. He had brought three beings with him. A fair man, a blond elf, and a red dwarf.

The king watched the tea be set out, he steepled his fingers and looked diractly at Naru. The other people in the room sat as chairs were set out for them. Loel tried to give Naru a reassureing smile but didn't quite manage it. Then the king spoke. "Naruveil of the house of Celenurion, do you know who I am?"

His voice was gentle and kind, contrasting sharply with his gruff appearance. naru relaxed, though she didn't know why, and gave a tiny nodd. She stood before the king her thin shoulders thrown back, her chin lifted, all her remaining dignity fill her posture and pride was open on her gaurded face.

"Let me introduce you to my companions." He gestured noblely to the fair haired man on his right. "Faramir son of Denethor, Prince of Ithilien." The fair man nodded to her, and Naru barely glanced at him, except to commit his fact and name to memory, before she returned her gaze to Aragorn. "Legolas Greenleaf, a prince of Mirkwood, and Gimli son of Gloin." Naru remembered their names and faces as well and looked at the king, letting some of her curiosity show in her eyes.

"Your father..." the king began. He doesn't waste time with pleasantries, Naru thought, and almost laughed out loud at the thought of that.

How is your family fairing? He would ask.

Well, they havn't suffered needless cruelty by your hands, she would answer. How is your Queen, I hear she is elven. Is the with city coming back together after my father tried so hard to see it's downfall?

Naru turned her attention back on the king, who still wondered how to put his words.

"Your father help a force grater that any man alive, an evil force bent on the destruction of all." Naru said nothing, simply stared at the king. "By the old ways your head should be adorning the walls of this keep, not on your shoulders. I have every right to kill every last person who carries his blood. For it is written in the old laws that the king has the right to kill all those of a traitors line." Aragorn leaned forward in the chair he sat in, fixing his eyes on the raggedly girl in front of him. "A messenger of mine has told that only three of you remain. It that corect?" Slowly Naru nodded.

With a brow raised The king went on. "An old woman, your grandmother, a small boy and yourself. The laws regarding treason are plainly stated. I have the right to kill all of a traitors blood. To stop furthur treasonous actions and inclinations that can be carried through the blood."

Faramir shifted at this and Aragorn knew that this whole blood buisness was a pile of horse dung. Blood did not tell of who a person was, it waas oneself what did that. "What," the king asked Naru, "do you think I should do?"

Silence from all in the room.

"Take my right as king?" Aragorn pressed. Still only silence.

"If silence is your answer, I have to assume that you find right with you is I save your execution as last." This got a sudden jerk out of the girl. "You say with it that you do not care to live anymore. As the most able of the three that is left of you, this does fall onto your shoulders."

Naru stared at the king, litting go of her control and letting her emotions and thoughts run free on her face. "I do not want to kill any who could help be rebuild." the king told her kindly. "Your cousin would train to be a knight, your grandmother would come to live at the white city."

The girl said the first thing to him. "And me?" she asked in barely more that a whisper, her voice raw.

"Serve me as a bandit catcher."

Naru looked at him as if he were mad and moved back so abruptly that the kings three companions jumped to their feet hands going to their weapons.

"You have the choice to make, Naruveil, to die and take the lives of your remaining family with you. Or you can chose life. Serve me as a bandit catcher and let your family live in Minas Tirith." 

"Live as hostages!"

"Yes," Aragorn agreed, not being abel to lie to the proud lass that sttod so valiantly before him. "They would be that at first. until you prove loayl to me. Your choice?"

Thoughts swirled through her head and Naru thought quickly. She might be labled whelp of a traitor but she would be alive and so would her family, Her cousin would be abel to train as a knight, grandmother being abel to watch over him. Naru would be on probation until such was the time that Aragorn king was abel to trust her. He would sick her on the trails of outlaws like one would a hound... But she, they, would be alive...

"Your choice?" Aragorn demanded again,

"I'll serve you, king." 


	2. Chapter 2

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Author's Notes:

More detailed, stuff in this, could be rated higher. Hope you enjoy this and I'm sorry to cut you off like this.  
Tell me what you really think.

Chapter 2

"You have the choice to make, Naruveil, to die and take the lives of your remaining family with you. Or you can chose life. Serve me as a bandit catcher and let your family live in Minas Tirith." 

"Live as hostages!"

"Yes," Aragorn agreed, not being abel to lie to the proud lass that stood so valiantly before him. "They would be that at first. until you prove loyal to me. Your choice?"

Thoughts swirled through her head and Naru thought quickly. She might be labled whelp of a traitor but she would be alive and so would her family, Her cousin would be abel to train as a knight, grandmother being abel to watch over him. Naru would be on probation until such was the time that Aragorn king was abel to trust her. He would sick her on the trails of outlaws like one would a hound... But she, they, would be alive...

"Your choice?" Aragorn demanded again.

"I'll serve you, king."

Naru rode on the horse as if she had been born on it, one hand resting on her thigh the other lightly holding the reins. Thoughts swirled through her head as she rode behind the king of Gondor. Her back was straight, her shoulders back, all the muscles loose in her body, making her presence ooze arrogance just by the look of it. She saw in her mind the images of her cousin and her grandmother that she had fixed in her mind. She could never come back from this first mission...

Stop that, Naru told herself, thinking like that will get you killed and where would that get them? Though Naru was pretty sure that this king would nont go back on his word, she knew you could never know the truth about a man. And she wasn't positive that her dieing didn't give him leave to beggar her family. This wasn't only about saving her own skin, but two other lives depended on the success of this venture.

The king halted his horse in the woods and motioned for Naru to come beside him. when she was he said "I know that you are nervous over this and that it is your first mission, but I would ask that you try to get it done as soon as possible." he paused then reached into his shirt and Naru tensed up, then he pulled out a pendant that seemed made of glass. He held it out to her and Naru gently took it from him deliberatly relaxing her shoulders into their easy, arrogant set. "I was givin this once by someone who believed in me." Naru looked at him sharply. "I too was wrried over the journey that was ahead of me, and what changes it would bring. The person who gave it told me that we are of our ancestors blood, not our ancestors themselves" Naru did not move to return it or don it, she simply held it and looked at the king in silence. "I hope it brings you luck. Also there is this." He handed her a cloth bag. When he said nothing, Naru opened it. Inside was a folded square of cloth a dull silver ring set with a dark jewel. "If you run into any patrols and they hassel you show then the cloth, it has the white tree of gondor on it and they will know you ride for me. I have a few lone knights out doing similar jobs and if they don't accept the cloth, show them the ring. They will know what it means."

The king turned his horse. "You will be hunting a man that buned a village more than once, don't let pity stay your hand."

Naru didn't know what the king ment by that and she wasn't all that sure she wanted to. Slwly Aragorn drew his sword, "I give you my blessing, Naruviel Hunter. May the Valor favor your foot steps." He breifly touched the sword point to each of her shoulders and Nary felt a moment of envy over his blade. 'Twas a magnificent weapon, with a long hilt and elvish words etched deep in the blade. The sun glinted off it as Aragorn king sheathed it and saluted Naru before spurring his horse into a gallop. Within minutes Naru was left completly alone in the barren, sad, grey plain.

Well, she thought to herself, this isn't going to be easy but nothing ever is...

The fire crackled solidly and a spark popped in to the night above Naru. She sat beofre her fire, her horse , Grem, was loose and grazing, his silhouette on the rise to her left. The sky was scattered to its fullest with stars that seemed to burn brighter for some reason.

Branyon Bain's son, was in sore need of killing in Naru's opinion. He was a piece of filth that had burned four villages to the ground in the prime of his villanous career and was now fleeing Gondor as fast as his yellow feet would carry him. Several arrows had hit home during his time on the run, making him limp badly on his left leg and a patch worn over one eye where an arrow had been burried in the socket. But out of all his crimes, the fact that he had left only four people alive, women beaten and raped, one in each village, to tell of his crimes, made Naru the angriest. He was a braggart with a fat head even in his defeat, a murderer and rapest, a destoyer of all innocence that one could feel...

Realizing what she was thinking, Naru leanded back and reached out to her saddle and bags for some anchor forn her mind. That was not a safe path to think down, not safe at all. But that just made Naru more determined to kill the theiving bastard before he did anything else to another innocent woman.

"Hmmmm..." she thought and stowed away the maps and such in the correct comparments in her two sets of saddlebags and began to roll out her bedding. "I wonder if Master Branyon is staying at the inn." She needed to find a way to creep up on him and find out about where he was staying. If he was at the inn in the village where he had been reported seen, that would make things more difficult that easier for Naru. She would prefer that she kill men away from anyones view. She had thought over it and come to the conclusion that killing a man seemed too...intiment for anyone to see. She knew it sounded foolish, but that was her thoughts and she prayed that no one would come along and see her kill him. The king had said that not all of her assiugnments would be solitary and not all of them would be asassinations, but he had thought this the simpleist of them all so he had given her this one first. Naru hoped that it was.

Taking off her encumbant outer clothes and lether armor Naru tucked herself into her blankits and fell asleep with the hilt of her sword resting in her palm, though it would be no protection against her nightmares.

Lashing pain burst through her back as her scanty shirt was torn furthur off when she hit the rough stone floor of the chamber. She nearly cried aloud at the onslot of rawness that she felt but kept the sound back as Lard Hitherd fel on top of her. His hands easily captured her own but not beofre there were several scratches on his arms and a trio of bloody lines going down one side of his cruelly handsome face. His mouth curled into a sneer as he unbutttoned the first two buttons on her shirt and then seemed to lose what little patience he had and grabed a fist full of fabric and pulled. When his mouth reached towards her s she tossed her head to the side, already feeling limpness set into her bones, from exhoustion.

Fervently his hand slid down her side and Naru felt like screaming when his mouth touched her face and after she evaded it a few times finally painfully set onto hers. It wa s cruel and punishing. Naru nearly vomitted when his cold hand rested on her naked skin, he made a gutteral sound and on last time naru tried to fight him off.

At her struggles he just laughed and smacked her hard across the face and Naru could do nothing as he freeely began to disrobe himself and her, more fully. Panic ripped through her as his hand mopved down her thigh removing all cloth barriers. He made a deep sound that rumbled through him and Naru felt dirty as he reared back and looked his fill at her.

Panic rushed through her blood and abruptly Naru twisted her hips and managed to free one of her legs. She kneed Hitherd in the groin and he yelled, hitting her again, this time with his fist. He hit her over and over and as Naru fell into darkness she felt his man's part brush against her leg...

Naru sat bolt upright, her sword yanked out of its sheath in the process. Sweat poured over her body and a felling of unbearable disgust washed through her. Dropping her weapon, Naru werstled with her bed clothes and stumbled away. Hitting her knees after tripping over her extinct fire naru emtied her belly of what seemed like ecery meal she had ever eaten. As she retched she could feel hitherd's hands on her and she shivered. Panting, Naru looked up at the horizen. stained orange and red, with what seemd like the blood that owuld be spilt this day.

The sooner Branyon died the sooner Naru mgiht get used to her new life as a kings bandit cather and not the indulged daughter of one.


	3. Chapter 3

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Author's Notes:

There is rather graphic violence in this and there will be in a lot of the later chapters, this is just a warning to those who don't like any graphic stuff.  
Read and review!

Chapter 3

Naru sat bolt upright, her sword yanked out of its sheath in the process. Sweat poured over her body and a feeling of unbearable disgust washed through her. Dropping her weapon, Naru werstled with her bed clothes and stumbled away. Hitting her knees after tripping over her extinct fire naru emtied her belly of what seemed like every meal she had ever eaten. As she retched she could feel Hitherd's hands on her and she shivered.

Panting, Naru looked up at the horizen. stained orange and red, with what seemd like the blood that owuld be spilt this day.

The sooner Branyon died the sooner Naru mgiht get used to her new life as a King's bandit cather and not the indulged daughter of one.

The new day dawned on Gondor with a light breeze and the sound of small birds twirping merily in the teilight air of that time just after dawn, but before the day actualy begins. Naru hid the remains of her night camping and whistled to the air. Her loud clear note rang for a moment before Grem, Naru's horse whose name ment blue, came over the rise at a lazy canter.

He nickered slightly as Naru held out a hand and waited for Grem to come forward. He burried his soft nose in her palm and stood placidly as she saddled him up. "Tav'du namdu, mao." Naru spoke to him in the tongue of her ancestors. Hold it still, boy.

Naru secured the girth in her high backed saddle and watched as he sucked in air, making his belly bigger.

"Ah, te mogha, mao." She told him. You naughty boy. Naru hit with the side of her fist in Grem's belly and he snuffed about it but let the air out. Slipping on the bridle over his head, Naru buckled it on and went to get her bags. 

She picked up the two sets od saddle bags but stopped when she heard a rustle of cloth and watched a bag fall. It was the bag the king had given her yesterday, the one where she'd put his pendant, with the ring and the cloth with the white tree of Gondor in it. Naru thought, I wonder...

Letting the saddle bags drop to the ground Naru crouched down and picked up the bag. Sitting back on her heals, Naru slowly drew it open. She reached in her hand and drew it out when her hand encountered cold metal. Watchiong her hand, Naru watched a silver chain slither out of the bag like liquid silver, the pendant falling out to spin gently. Slowly so as not to hurt the jewel, Naru lifted it so that she held up to leval with her eyes. it caught the week light and sent it back out ten fold so that it seemed to glow. It semed to be spun out of opaque glass, in a form that one might expect to find on an elven maiden, though blurry and unclear. It was slightly warm against the cold silver chain, but seemed to exude hope for that fact. That hit something in Naru and she slowly reverently drew it over her head in one move she had it against the brest, stading out vividly against her dark clothing.

Reaching back down, Naru left the cloth with the white tree in the bag and drew out the ring. It was plain, wraped in a sheer hand kerchief. It was a dill tarnished silver the band a few sizes too big for Naru's own finger. The stone set in it was only semi-precious at best, looking black until it caught a bit of light, giving it a deep green-ish sheen. It was a plain, but pretty ring, well forged, made to last long, not for fashion.

Setting that back in it's wrappings, Naru took out the cloth and unfolded it. it was cream with a stunning white tree embroidered on it. it seemed to shine in the morning klight and there appeared to be glittering white rocks in the branches. it was the symbol of Gondor. Looking closer, Naru noticed that it was very well made, the stitches barely visible to the naked eye. Sighing. Naru replaced the two articles. She doubted she would need them, but she had them if she did.

Picking the bag up, anru tucke dit firmly into the saddle bag that layed closest to her hand on Grem's back.

She walked over and setlerd them on her horeded back and mounted up to go do her dirty duty.

With a muttered oath, Naru shifted int he brush where she was hiding and watched the three men dismount and unload their horses. Branyon was easy to spot, with his pronounced limp and his patched eye. But he was constantly in the company of two dim looking men, that looked to have more muscle than was possible for their brains to rule. they would be easy to take down with a bow. But you had to be in the possession of a bow to use one. Naru didn't have a bow but she had knives. Twealve of them to be exact. She could take the one posted in gaurd, but it wouldn't be long before the other bag of muscle and hair discovered the body of his comrade. But nither could Naru just walk up to Branyon and inform him that she was going to kill him, and ask him if he would mind holding still.

This was wghat was going to get in this new job of hers. Situations like these.

She made a light frustrated sound as in the next few minutes either ine of the two lugs left Branyon's sight. But then Branyon yelled to one of them andd he slowly trudged into the woods to fetch some water. Now was oppertune for Naru to strike. Setting her feet, she rose until she was in a very crouched, uncomfertable crouch and removed one if the trowing knives in her boot. and loosened her sword in its sheath so that it would be easy to draw once she threw the kinfe. Care fully she extended her right leg anf arced her arm back. She waited for what seemed like hours as The Oaf moved in and out of her aim. Slowly he came back into her range and Naru tensed up.This was only the second time in her eighteen years that she had wealded a weapon with the intent to harm. The first had been when her life had ben threatened by Hitherd, as she had watched those around her die; her loved ones. With every muscle in her arm taught Naru watched as she stretched her

arm back and took careful aim, she moved her arm forward with impressive speed and released the knife. A sound like of a dying animal sounded and Naru quickly drew out her other kinfe in her right boot and took aim again. She threw it when The Oaf turned around and he met the knife again. This one burried in his throat, the first one in his back.

Seeing what had happened, Branyon screamed and hobled to his feet as Naru sprang fro her hiding place, drawing her swarod as she went. She faught down disgust over her killing The Oaf, and charged the fumbling man. He was a pitiful wreck, his clothes filthy his hair greesy nad repulsive. Their was a faint oder about him and you could tell that he had been skipping a few meals lately. There was also an sir about him like that of a cornerd animal, a panic in his eyes that of a man in his last days and aware if that fact. For a moment, Naru felt a stir of pity for this pathetic creature and Branyon sensed that. He sprung up and nearly skewered her on his blade. But she hardened and thought of those four women left alive to tell of his crmes. Beaten and raped with nothing left to live for.

She braught her sword up and he countered it barely and Naru acted on her instincts and took her advantage.

She neatly severed the muscles in the back of his knee and has he fell to the ground she ripped her sword across his jugular. Blood sprayed up anf soaked her chest and face and hair. Blood squirted fot a moment more before Branyon was dead.

She heard a noise behind her and the second oaf came thundering through the woods and into the clearing. He carried a half-full bucket and stared wildly at his dead twin like man and at Branyon and At the savage, blood covered girl and his eyes widened. Naru turned to face him and she stared at him an he stared at her blinking at her dully.

"If you leave you will leave with your life." Her chest was heaving and she would rather not have any witnesses to what she was about to do. Steam rose from the body of Branyon anf Her blade in the brisk air and after a moment the second oaf fled into the woods.

Maoning, Naru dropped to her knees as violent spasms racked her body shaking her from top to toe. She had eaten nothing, so nothing came of her heaves but she felt as if this wouldn't be the last time she suffered from when she killed. She was not a natureally merduring person. as she was on the ground tender scars stretched and Naru was reminded of Hitherd. That glint that came into his eye whenever he killed someone.

No, she told herself firmly. You are not like him. Never like him.

Getting up slowly Naru looked at the dead man beofre her and drew out a third knife. She bent down and finish cutting the man's head from his shoulders. she then burried the Oaf, having trouble moving the man's body and went to her tethered horse to get the supplies she needed. taking out some hide and hardy ink, she wrote onto a pice of paper: Here is Branyon, Bain's son, Traitor to Elessar, King of Gondor. She went to the bottom of the page and scrawled: Naru Hunter, and scratched a triangle that resembled a fang of perhaps a wolf or a large dog.

She tacked this to a tree and impersonally rolled Brayons body under it. She then went to look for a long pointed stick to set Branyons head on. Finding one she went and fixed it in the ground and set Branyons severed head upon it. She kept herself almost in a little room in her mind, not actually acknowledgeing what she was doing. That kept her sfae from any guilt over what she had to do.

Finished she stepped back and looked att he display. The notice on the tree was signed with her name, giving way to the fact that she was the maker of this savage display of royal supremecy. This would serve as an example to all who saw as to how the crown of Gondor now delt with traitors. A warning to those that had thought of balking at Aragorns rule not to. Naru hoped with all she was that it worked and that balking at Aragorns right to rule would soon stop, saving her from more of these disgusting actions.

As Naru watched the first Flies arrive she turned on her heal and left the scene to find somewhere to wash off the blood, now dried, that caked her clothes and face. I imagine I'd frighten small children, she thought as she left.


	4. Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

Finished she stepped back and looked att he display. The notice on the tree was signed with her name, giving way to the fact that she was the maker of this savage display of royal supremecy. This would serve as an example to all who saw as to how the crown of Gondor now delt with traitors. A warning to those that had thought of balking at Aragorns rule not to. Naru hoped with all she was that it worked and that balking at Aragorns right to rule would soon stop, saving her from more of these disgusting actions.

As Naru watched the first flies arrive she turned on her heal and left the scene to find somewhere to wash off the blood, now dried, that caked her clothes and face. I imagine I'd frighten small children, she thought as she left.

Naru rode over the feild slouching slightly, one hand holding the reins the other under her shirt, absently stroking the pendant. The chain of it was cool, the jewel pleasently warm. Her clothes where rough on her skin, a thick cloak billowing around her as she rode in the late night. The stars seemed unusually bright in the inky sky and made Naru think of a little melody her grandmother had taught her. 

The stars are bright,  
The sky at night,  
The moon is slivered,  
Not a Man in sight.  
Weak we are called,  
She said from beneath a shawl  
But men do not think  
On what they've been told.

This was a favorite lullaby of Naru's, her mother had sung it to her when she'd still been crawling. It was one of the only things she remembered of the woman who had given birth to her, for Lady Liluviel had died in child birth, the babe with her, when Naru had been five, making her the youngest. Slowly Naru turned her head to the sky and gently tugged the reins. Grem halted and looked around slowly. Naru released the reins and let them catch on the saddle as Grem lowered his head to nibble at a tuft of oddly pale grass in the light from the sliver of a moon.

"The stars are bright..." Naru whispered, looking at the stars and finding the constelations that she knew. As her eyes traqced them she thought over her deed of two days ago. Celenurion law would dictate that she bury every man she slay, but Naru didn't think any of the Religious Elders would ever hear of her actions for Naru was no longer Naruviel, daughter of kings, princess of Celenurion. She was Naru Hunter, Bandit catcher of the King of Gondor. Now, a bit sadly, Naru thought about her homeland. The crown would go to some diatant relative in the Gondorean Court or would be awarded to some prestigious general as a reward for service in the war because for all that everything that mattered, the royal house of Celenurion was dead. Naru felt sadness at the fact that her cousin would never know of his ancestors, but besides that she was oddly bereft of all emotion towards being whipper, nearly raped, ripped from her home, and set on the trail of a murderer like some lap dog of the King's Court. But she also felt nothing about watching her family and her pet be slaughtered before her very eyes, so being bereft was fitting, wasn't it?

"Well, Grem, old man, it looks like we don't have anywhere to go." Grem snorted lightly and kept on grazing. The old lullaby ran through her mind and Naru felt like crying, all of a sudden. it had been years since her mother had passed, years since the pain of knowing that ones father cared only as much for you as he might a situation that might gain him wealth, years since being cast out from the play groups of the children because of her birth, years of repressed emotions threatened to break. "No. I will not. Oh..."

With a sigh, Naru leaned to pick up he reins and lightly kicked Grems side. He reluctantly Pulled his head up and began walking agian. If they kept at this pace they would reach Minas Tirith by dark the next day.

Dawn came and passed, noon came and passed and Naru finally halted her horse to eat some food. It had been two days since her last meal, and hunger clawed at her belly. Swiftly Naru unsaddled Grem and set him to grazing and ploped down on the grass to rest a bit and eat some dried meat and cheese.

She was stll eating when the most startleing thought enerted her mind. She had given hardly any thought as to how her young cousin and her grandmother were doing!

Minas Tirith was tidy enough, Dami, once queen of Celenurion, thought as she walked one of it's elaborate gardens, leaning heavily on a knarled teak cain. it made a steady thum, thump as she moved and the training yard of the young boy's came into sight.. Her grandson Timomni, stood out with his striking ly dark hair among so many fair. he was coming out of his shell, she thought. And would well meet the difficulties that his life had in store for him. Dami smiled as she thought of the path life had given the little one. It would proove to be fun to watch.

Still hobbling, Dami turned a twist in the path and came upon Elessar, The King of Gondor, sitting on a bench, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. Dami smiled.

She walked up to him, making no sound. a shocking feat coming from a woman old enough to remeber Ecthelion coming to a treaty dinner. "Your majesty," she said in her slightly young, flowing voice. it had gotten abit shaky with old age, but she was proud to say that she could still stop a man in his tracks with it. Also she could turn a backflip neat as you please, despite, or in spite, of old bones.

As the King climbed to his feet and made a slight bow, Dami mused on a thing that would have made Aragorn's eyes pop out if he had been able to hear them.

Dami acknowledged his bow with a nod. And stopping a man in his tracks, Dami thought, that Lord Faulk. Mmm, mmm,mmm, he had a very nice... form.

Lord Faulk was a man that had served the court of The White City for longer that Aragorn could find. Longer than anyone could find, except Faramir, who remembered him walking with his grandfather, one time. He was wrinkled at his eyes and mouth, had thining hair, rather near to no hair, and he was also prone to ramble on about "the old days." But the old man still stood as tall and proud as he had on his twenty-first birthday. He also carried around a sword so encrusted with jewels that it shocked Aragorn that the hilt hadn't fallen off from the weight of them. A likable, grandfatherly man.

"How are you Lady Dami?" 

"Oh, I'm good, my good lad," Aragorn sighed at this, " but how is our queen this morning?"

Aragorn looked at her blankly.

Dami smiled in a knowing way. "I don't think her breakfast sat well with her this morning."

Aragorn stared. The woman hadn't been in the dining hall this morning, so how did she know?

Dami kept smiling. "You'll give her my congradulations and my comdolances, won't you?" With that Dami hobbled away, leaving Aragorn stumped as to what went on in a woman's mind.

The pub and inn was filled to it's seams , but Naru still walked in in and ordered a meal. she asked after a room and was shocked to find that the innkeep, a round little man by the name of Graham, had two left, but only for this night. Naru rented one and was led to it my a frail looking maid who kept shooting frieghtened glances at the sword she carried. Naru did her best to ignore them, but they still rubbed on the edge.

Naru, doing her best not to bark, asked for a bath and for her meal to be sent to her room. Dipping several curtsies, the girl nearly fled from the room.

Muttering, Naru set her saddle bage near the door and walked to the bed and calapsed upon it's lumpy matress. it was a quaint little room, with sturdy furniture and a wells made homey air about it. Naru closed her eyes and listened to the words of the somg that echoed from the commomroom for a moment before her eyes snapped open with shock and her face heated.

The lords chamber maid in the song should have been run out of town after being flogged.

Naru then got up and peered into the hall to see if her bath was coming. It wasn't. Restless and trying not to listen to the song, Naru paced for a bit and then settled in one of the two chairs for a long wait.

Her cheeks still burned by the time her bath cam, followed by her meal.


	5. Chapter 5

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Author's Notes:

I hope you like this chapter and my apologies that it took so long. Tell my what you think of our new player. ;D

Happy Readings!

Chapter 5

Muttering, Naru set her saddle bags near the door and walked to the bed and calapsed upon it's lumpy matress. it was a quaint little room, with sturdy furniture and a wells made homey air about it. Naru closed her eyes and listened to the words of the somg that echoed from the commomroom for a moment before her eyes snapped open with shock and her face heated.

The lords chamber maid in the song should have been run out of town after being flogged.

Naru then got up and peered into the hall to see if her bath was coming. It wasn't. Restless and trying not to listen to the song, Naru paced for a bit and then settled in one of the two chairs for a long wait.

Her cheeks still burned by the time her bath cam, followed by her meal.

As Naru stood, dripping wet, she tried as best she could to block out the ever insitent voice of the tavern wench on the floor below. She seemed to have been placecd in the room just above the common room. Muttering darkly, Naru wrapped the drying cloth around herself more tightly and turned her attention to her hair. It was long, nearly to her waist, though the last few days it had been tied securly in one long braid down her back. As she rubbed it furiously she couldn't help but blush at the words of the wench down below, words of love and something a bit more base. The girl had no shame was the conclusion that Naru came to.

She shook her head firmly and her dark hair ended up almost everywhere. Muttering again she let her eyes drift to where her ever sharp dagger hung on her belt and she turned around. And shrieked so loud at the sight that greeted her she was surprised that the sound of the wench's voice was still audible, which only made her blush even more feircely.

At first Raleon Hunter was fairly mad at the thought that they had given a way his room.

The room dirctly above the common room, was a room filled with many memories for Raleon, many pleasurable memories. Especially that bed. Ahhh, he thought, good times. but that irked feeling had suddenly fled when he had gone to see who had his room and see if he could get them to leave the sight that had greeted him made him want to whistle in pure male appreciation. Next to a cooling tub of bath water was the most tender peice of female flesh he had ever had the intense pleasure to see.

She was about as tall as his shoulder perhaps a bit shorter, dressed in only a drying cloth that left a good amount of delicate legs bare. Long, very long, dark hair felly heavily to her hips, ah, and those shoulders, strong and true with all that flawless pale skin... Enough to stir even the most celibate man's juices to be sure.

Raleon leaned against the door way as she began to rub a cloth over her hair and shook her head, sending all that silkiness, half wet, to spreading over her shoulders and torso. He felt a jolt of pure lust when she turned around and shrieked, then turned as red as one could get.

"Keep it down, sweet, you might disturb some of the patrons." When she did nothing but stare at him in open shock he took the opertunity to move into the room and close the door.

The girl did nothing but open her mouth and then close it several times before she seemed to regain some of her wits. "What a-a-are y-yo-yo-you doing!" she squeaked when he moved into the room.

Raleon looked at her and smiled a smile that hid his thoughts. "I am sitting," he did so and stratched out his long legs. "You know," he said as he sat and gave he an insulting once-over, "I had qualms about them giving away my room," he grinned slowly, "but I think I might be able to share."

At his words the girl turned an even brighter red, fumbling lightly in shock over what he said and insinuated, letting the cloth she had wrapped around herslef slip just a tad. And, oh, my, what nice...skin she had. Jerking his gaze back to her face, Raleon studied it. "I take it you don't wish to share with me?"

She stared at him and a wicked thought occured to him.

He stepped closer to the girl and grinned down at her. She couldn't have been more than five years younger than him. "If I can't share with you I'll settle for a taste, then." The girl jerked aways from him, though her movements were slow from shock. She wasn't fast enough to avoid him. Raleon scooped her close, blending their bodies together and banded her to him with one arm about her aist and craddled her head with his other hand and slowly dipped her head back and his down.

Naru was shocked. A man, a very nice looking man, had come into her room, been watching her for only Eru knew how long, and now he was kissing her.

Her wits had been stilled by sheer surprise, though they had been sharp enough for her to make a jerky move away from him. The man had sandy blond hair that carried just a hint of red, and had laughing blue eyes that swam with a warm emotion that made Naru want to squirm. He stood tall enough to almost have to duck to get through doors and Naru came to his shoulder so he had had no problem in catching her in his embrace. And kissing her.

This man, a complete stanger was kissing her. A very nice kiss, if Naru did say so herself. It was gentle, carried no force yet it echoed in her mind with a wild abandon, gentle at the same time it let the mans feelings perfectly clear. And from the feel of his, ah, lower anatomy, he didn't just want to kiss, and Naru suddenly was glad that he was only kissing her and that he had decided that sharing was not going to happen. Wait, had he?

Raleon released the girl, feeling better already over his lost trail of his prey and when he ducked a deep bow and came up flashing heb had to move to catch the girls fist before it plowed into his belly.

"Cladelach!" The girl snarled and Raleon had the feeling that was not a blessing, whatever tongue it was in.

He grinned down at her, and this time when he kissed her, he had to bend her over to keep her still. "Well, madam," Raleon grinned down at her and quickly stepped away. "Until we meet again."

With that he swept out of the room, and left to the cound of the girls curses, and a sound tump on the back of the door and his own whistleing. He wouldn't stay the night as he had planned, insted he would go straight to Minas Tirith and greet his king as a good Hunter should, and give him his report.


	6. Chapter 6

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Author's Notes:

This is the next chapter, tell me what you think of it!

Thax to all those lovely people that review!

Chapter 6

He grinned down at her, and this time when he kissed her, he had to bend her over to keep her still.

"Well, madam," Raleon grinned down at her and quickly stepped away. "Until we meet again."

With that he swept out of the room, and left to the cound of the girls curses, and a sound thump on the back of the door and his own whistleing. He wouldn't stay the night as he had planned, insted he would go straight to Minas Tirith and greet his king as a good Hunter should, adn give him his report.

Naru felt rage build up inside her. MEN! Just because they had more muscle made them think they could go around and do whatever they wanted and make other people do the same and because they had more brains that muscle most of the time they would simply use force or the timing of the moment!

Ack, They were savages!

Getting madder by the moment, Naru stomped into the main room and began to jerk on her clothing with hands that shook from anger. Mutter under her breath she whirled and nearly shouted at the maid to bugger off. naru swung the door open and looked down at the timid maid. She looked about ready to cry from fright, clutching a tray in her quaking hands. Naru raised a brow at her and the maids eyes actually filled with tears as she tentativly offered the tray. Naru looked at it for a moment than back at the maid. Surely I don't frighten the help THAT much, do I?

Naru didn't think she could look scary enough to firghten anyone that badly but then Damun Dami had always told her she could look feirce in a temper. But that feirce?

Naru took the tray from the maid and closed the door primly. To tell the truth, Naru would have stayed in the inn even if she had been forced to share with that debaucherous lummox. Her horse, Grem, was nearly asleep on her feet, he was so tired from the unusual long hours of riding.

Ugh, Naru though disgustedly as she set the tray on the table, Men! Need she say more?

Heralds from the white city had come to Celenurion since before Naru's great -grandparents had been born, though to Naru at the moment none of their descriptions came even close to the true sight of this magnificnet city. The white gates had rose above her and despite her promise to herself not to look like a gawking coutry bumpkin, Naru had stared. The early morning light had come, weak but true, had shone on the tops of the buildings as Naru had rode through the levals of the city, making them glow with a seemingly devine glow.

It knocked her breath away.

Naru soon arrived at the correct level and the correct inn, where The King had told her to go, Steward's Pride. It was a cozy litle place, with weel to do people sittingin front of the windows. As she entered, Naru was astounded at the noise that rose to greet her. A thunderouse boom, echoed through the common room, coming from a group of uniformed men at the bar. They seemed to be celebrating something. Naru had never heard the sound of them before.

"A boisterous lot," came a rumbling, rolling voice from behind. Naru. She turned and looked curiously at the man that walked behind her. Curiosity got the better of her and she followed the man to the opposite end of the bar where he set down his box of wine.

"How so, master?" Naru asked him.

"They are part of the palace guard," the man explained as he straitened and smiled at her. He was a large man with thining gray-red hair and kind, friendly blue eyes and very big arms. probably from lifting wine all his life, Naru thought.. "Any excuse to get them drunk will get them there."

"Oh? And what is their excuse?"

The man grinned at her and pured some wine into two glasses he had set on the bar. "Why to the Queen's fertility and to our coming prince, of course." He held out one of the glasses to her and Naru took it. "To the Queen," he said somberly, his blue eyes twinkling merrily.

Naru couldn't help but smile as she drank the wine down the same time as him. She placed the glass back on the bar. "I happen to be looking for someone, master. Do you think you could help me?"

A knowing look came onto his face. "That--" but he was cut off by a deafening shout of "TO THE QUEEN!" from the palace guards and had to begin again. "That depends on who it is you're looking for, lass." He grinned again as the cry of the guards was picked up by several of the other patrons.

Naru stared at him for a moment before answering, waiting until the cries died down. "I think you know who I seek, master."

"Aye," he answered as he poured her another wine. "That I probably do."

Naru sipped from her glass and watched the man. He had a open, cheerful face, with an air about him that might remind one of a fond grandfather or a favorite uncle. "I don't doubt that."

The man smiled at her kindly for a moment before shaking his head and muttering under his breath somthing about "lasses just off the apron strings" and "what has gotten into the lad?"

He looked at her again and told her, "Sit tight, he should be here any minute now."

Naru nodded and the man wondered off to pour another round for the group of guards. She sat back in the chair to wait, easily listening to several of the patrons at once. A few maids would bustle out of the kitchen every so often, to serve some sort of food to one of the patrons before bustleing right back into the kitchens. Bafore Naru knew it, she was smiling slightly and sipping on a third glass of wine. It was a good thing they were small, were the glasses.

Suddenly, as her wine was coming to an end, one of the serving maids appeared beofre her. She smiled at Naru and beckoned for her to follow her, "on the master's orders, " of course. Naruwas in quite a good mood, if she did say so herself, but all that abruptly fled when she saw what sat beside The King.

She stopped dead in her tracks to stare openly at The man from the inn on the road. "You!"

The man sat up slowly from his slouched position and gave her a throughly insulting once-over. "You," he said arrogantly drawing it out slowing, making it into an insinuation insted of and agreement that it might have been.

Aragorn looked from Raleon to Naruviel and back to Raleon. "I take it you've already met," he said to them.￹FPRIVATE "TYPEPICT;ALTNavigation"

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	7. Chapter 7

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Author's Notes:

I hope you like this next chapter and sorry it's taking so long to write these and get to the main plot.

Reviews are loved!

Chapter Seven

Suddenly, as her wine was coming to an end, one of the serving maids appeared beofre her. She smiled at Naru and beckoned for her to follow her, "on the master's orders, " of course. Naru, in quite a good mood, if she did say so herself, but all that abruptly fled when she saw what sat beside The King.

She stopped dead in her tracks to stare openly at The man from the inn on the road. "You!"

The man sat up slowly from his slouched position and gave her a throughly insulting once-over. "You," he said arrogantly drawing it out slowing, making it into an insinuation insted of and agreement that it might have been.

Aragorn looked from Raleon to Naruviel and back to Raleon. "I take it you've already met," he said to them." 

Naru sat primly in a chair, with her hands folded neatly in her lap. "So," she said carefully, letting none of her emotions show as she looked from the king to the hunter seated next to him and back again. "Let me get this straight."

"You," she looked at the king," want me to go with him," she looked at the hunter, making no effert to hide disdain, "to get this man, this Farre."

The King nodded.

"Ah," Naru said.

Aragorn's eyebrows rose as he leaned for ward. "And..."

"Well," Naru said, "i would have to say that i need some time to think." Naru didn't really need any time at all, just a chance to get away from that smug smirk on Raleon's, the Hunter, face.

Aragorn frowned at her deeply. "I suppose I could give you the night to think it over. But know this," he looked at Naru with all the seriousness that someone could have. "We have little to no time to get on our way."

Naru nodded and the king got up to leave. "Then I'll leave you two to talk this over."

Naru nearly lept to her feet with a shout of protest, but she bit her lip savagely and stilled her feet adn managed to appear calm as the king left. She waited in her seat, the room still with a very loud silence. Naru could feel Raleon's eyes on her. Finally she got up and quickly walked to the door to try to leave. She made it to the door and was opening it when a large hand landed on the wood of the door and pressed.

Ta'ha reanulss dac'man'nu farrr'har kakk too'um alvaniyen Dai. The trials of a traitors blood await the last of our house. The echo of her Grandmother's words of about a week ago rang through Naru's mind. Trials of a traitor's blood...? Could it be? Angling her head around, Naru peered up at Raleon. He stood close to her, one arm extended to keep the door close.

"Frightened?" he inquired.

Naru shook her head and the Hunter smiled, humer falshing across his very good looking face. Naru didn't think she had noticed the small scar on his chin before. it ran just on the underside stoping short of brushing the slight cleft there.

"Funny," he continued,"I could have sworn, before, that you were. That or very..." his voice trailed off into a insinuating whipsper. "Or anticipating something." He leaned down and Naru felt as if she had drowned in his eyes. Freezing her in place as he leaned down.

With a little yip, Naru pulled herslf out of her trance and ducked under his arm and scrambled to put the table between them.

Raleon laughed at her. "Hmm, you know," he crossed his arms and stood before the door, watching her with a mixture of amusment and some other emotion. "I could give my word that you hadn't run the last time."

"I-i-i... why you... if... Arrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Frustrated Naru ran her hand over ber long braid.

She huffed a big sigh before continuing. "I was a bit indesposed the last time." Her voice was just a bit unstable, Naru was proud to think.

"Indesposed, you were, my fine little huntress."

Naru squeaked and Raleon laughed again a smile flashing across his openly good-looking face. "I am not 'your little' anything! You womanizing rogue!"

"Vandilizing? Honey, I could be whole lot more vandilizing." He stalked-- there was really no other word for it-- towards Naru.

"No!" Naru tried to run from him but he semed to move like lightning. He reached out and grabbed at her braid, yanking it and bringing her back a step. Whirling around, Naru swung at him but he blocked her blow by raising one arm. Her fist bounced away harmlessly.

Raleon slipped his hand around and brought her closer, bending her back until she lost enough of her balance that she had to hold onto him to keep her upright. He moved his mouth to hers and Naru clenched it stubbornly closed. But Raleo;'s lips were ever insistant and soon Naru couldn't help but open to them and... Oh, my.

Raleon moved his hand down her back, stroking her sily hair and wishing it was free now.

He tilted his head to the side,chaging the angle of the kiss and... My, oh, my.

Abruptly Raleon released her. She stood there, looking up at him out of wife eyes that were glossed overwith a dazed light. Raleon didn't know why, but he felt a surge of pride and arrogance at her expression. He reached out and stroked a finger along her jaw and her lips and had to jerk his hand back when she tried to bite him. Her teeth clicked in the room, the sounds of the carousiong group of soldiers, buffed almost away by the think wood of the doors.

"Cladelach!" Naru hissed at him, her fists clenching and unclenching. "Keel, Nachumercha, Gurndysh, Nacturam meanderra, Cladelach--"

"I believe you're repeating yourself," Raleon interupted dryly, and wondered what her angry words ment.

Naru glared at him, her nostrels flaring sharply.

Raleon bowed, knowing it would infuriate her furthur. "You and I both know that you know your answer right now. Shall I tell him?"

She stared at him coldly.

He grinned at her once, mockingly, and walked out of the room.

Keel, she though bitterly, knowing that she could not refuse and still keep her remaning family safe. She reached out abd kicked the door solidkly and the swore vividly when her foot began to throb.

Ugh. This was all that, that, that... man's fault. Naru wasn't exactly sure how it was, but it was

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	8. Chapter 8

Blood Will Tell by Syril Silverleaf

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Author's Notes:

i hope you like this. it's just getting on the way, nothing real important happens, but you might want to read it. Tell me what you thnk,

Syril.

Chapter 8

"Cladelach!" Naru hissed at him, her fists clenching and unclenching. "Keel, Nachumercha, Gurndysh, Nacturam meanderra, Cladelach--"

"I believe you're repeating yourself," Raleon interupted dryly, and wondered what her angry words ment.

Naru glared at him, her nostrels flaring sharply.

Raleon bowed, knowing it would infuriate her furthur. "You and i both know that you know your answer right now. Shall I tell him?"

She stared at him coldly.

He grinned at her once, mockingly, and walked out of the room.

Keel, she though bitterly, knowing that she could not refuse and still keep her remaning family safe. She reached out abd kicked the door solidly and the swore vividly when her foot began to throb.

Ugh. This was all that, that, that... man's fault. Naru wasn't exactly sure how it was, but it was!

It had been a fair many years since Naruviel had been accused of sulking, but those years were now gone.

"Naruviel, nack tannathouv nishck dac'tuoanel."

Naru was pouting and she knew it, but she was NOT sulking! "Am not," she muttered, glaring at her grandmother, Dami. The old woman folded her arms over her chest and looked down at her granddaughter, her wrinkled face both stern and kind.

"Well, what are you doing? You're not applying your mind to your newest mission. You're not thinking on the crimes of this Farre man. No, my dear, you are sulking like a child deprived of their favorite sweets.No," she held up a hand, "that is exactly what you're doing. All because some man got the better of you."

Naru sighed and sast down hard on the bench behind her. "This is all too much. Just two monthes ago I was sitting in the library telling Mother what colors to use on her embroidery. And now I'm in the fated White City of Gondor, sitting in a coutryard watching the blue sky and listening to my grandmother lecture me on mes, of all the Valar blessed things." She sighed again, this time it being more of a snort than a sigh. "And to top all of this off, my arse aches like to other." This time Naru admitted to herslef that something very close to apout crossed her face. "Stupid saddles. Why can't I ride bareback?"

Silence reigned in the courtyard for a fair while and then Dmaun Dami laughed. "My sweet girl, I haven't a clue as to why you can't ride bare back but I do have a response to your man problems."

Oh, how wonderful, Naru thought, now I have man problems.

Chuckling softly, Damun Dami sat down beside her and slowly repeated the oft sung lullaby.

"The stars are bright,  
The sky at night,  
The moon is slivered,  
Not a Man in sight.  
Weak we are called,  
She said from beneath a shawl  
But men do not think  
On what they've been told."

"I know, I know, grandmother. But I don't know if I can be that."

Damun Dami chuckled again. "You will, my lass, you will." Sharply Naru looked up at her grandmother to find that her grandmother was staring across the courtyard with a most peculiar look on her face. Unsure, Naru followed her line of sight and her jaw dropped.

Her grandmother was staring at a man who had to be at least ten years older, with a stately air about and a polished cane in hand as he walked proudly through the courtyard, followed by several men, all equaly ancient.

Utterly shocked, Naru was horrified."I have to go, Damun." At a total loss as to what to say to her grandmother staring like a love-struck little girl." I... think I have to... sleep."

All the resppnse Naru got was a distracted, "Of course, dear," before she left her grandmother to her staring.

After leaving her grantmother she followed her ear to find a secluded garden fountain. She didn;t realy have to sleep, but she was sure her granmother hadn't noticed.

She sat beneath the fountain and thought. Refusing this meant only what fate could know for herself and her family. Keel, Naru thought bitterly towards the King. Naru hated not having any choice, she alos hated the forcast of herself riding for days on end with a man who ws fast proving to be a lecherous rogue. The thought of simply getting back on a horse after only a day out of saddle alone was enough to make her weep, but with a man? She was ready to run screaming from that. Men were not her favorite.

I think the king is a keel, she told hersel;f as she got up to head back to the Stewrd's Pride inn where she would sleep when she was in Minas Tirith, to sleep and ponder over how to tell the king that she had no choices in her life so how could she refuse to go hunt down Farre in the company of a viritable swine?￹FPRIVATE "TYPEPICT;ALTNavigation"

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	9. Chapter 9

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Author's Notes:

Here's chapter nine. enjoy. Review are much loved.

Chapter 9

I think the king is a keel, she told hersel;f as she got up to head back to the Stewrd's Pride inn where she would sleep when she was in Minas Tirith, to sleep and ponder over how to tell the king that she had no choices in her life so how could she refuse to go hunt down Farre in the company of a viritable swine?

Naru was still floating in the half silent state just before waking from a very comfortable night of sleep. The beds at the Steward's Pride were deep and very soft with very thick and warm down blankets. Naru really couldn't remember when she'd slept so soundly, certainly not back at Celenuri Castle.

No, Hitherd had been there too long for her to be able to remember sleeping soundly. Hitherd, a corrupt man, one of her father's former allies and advisors was a handsome enough man except for his eyes, so cold and distant that they made a woman feel dirty just by looking into them. That was one of the things wrong with him, with Hitherd. He assumed that every woman would just come skipping to his bed when he so much as crooked a finger. Worse, was that more than few had, and that was what the true problem was. He didn't seem to realize that a female could find him utterly and completely repulsive. As Naru did.

And he didn't respond to being told no. He didn't respnod to a fist in the belly either. At one time he had cornered her in an empty courtyard and when Naru had hit him he had only smiled. It had convinced her that he was indeed mad.

Though along with the fear and shame she felt at the memory of the man, she also felt that slightly comforting flash of pure and simple rage. Suddenly realizing that her hands were clenched in her covers she slowly relaxed them and brought herself out of her dark reverie. Telling herself that this did no good, he tossed back the covers and stood up. AS she walked she happened to look downat herself, and halted. Oh, my, was that HER body?

Where she had once been soft, Naru could tell that she was soft no more. That thin layer of softness was gone and through her thin night shirt, Naru could see the clearly her hip bone in the front. Naru softly eased her hands over her body exploring some of the slight changes. there was just a bit more muscle in her legs and looking in a tall mirror, Naru found that she could see the faint outline of her ribs when she breathed, having lifted her shirt a bit.

Not all displeased by this, Naru pulled her night shirt over her head and relaced it with a sturdy off-white tunic and a pair of rough wool breeches befroe sitting down on the bed (still rumpled) to pull her boots on. She was just doing the laces on her left when there was a knock on the door.

Stumbling, Naru hopped over to the door and opened it.

"Lady!" The maid Loel launched herself at her former mistress's siter and knocked them both back into Naru's room. "Oh, Lady I though for sure that you were dead, oh! What with that King taking you off and all. And when I came here to work, and heard that you were staying here i was sure that it wasn't you! What's with all this 'Hunter' nonesense?"

"Ah," Naru said, "Loel? Could you let go? I need to finish with my boots."

"Oh, Lady, let me--"

"NO!"

Loel blinked at Naru owlishly.

"I mean that, Loel, I'm not a lady anymore. I'm just Naru Hunter, in the employ of the king. I'm just... me."

"Oh la- ah," Loel fumbled a bit then she blinked and looked at Anru for what seemed the first time. "You've changed."

Naru smiled crookedly as she sat back on her bed and motioned for Loel to sit in a chair. "I suppose I have, Loel. I'm not the lady of the castle and you're not the lady's maid anymore."

Finished with her boots, Naru sat back, her expression serious. "You have been something of a friend to me for a long time, Loel. I wuld like to be your friend. Not you're friendly superior, but your equal friend. Ther's no title to keep us from being actual friends. Not anymore."

Loel looked uncertain for a moment before she beamed. "i would love to have friendship with you, Naru Hunter."

"Good," Naru grinned back. "As a friend, tell me what happened back at Celenuri, and tell me everything, Loel, please."

"Well," Loel said, not really knowing how to tell her very new friend all. "The King put a new Lord on the chairs. His name is Areless." Dimples flashed across Loel's fair face. "Pretty as you please, to me at least."

Naru stared at Loel for a ful minute before bursting into laughter. Eru, this felt so good, so free. Never had Naru ever had a friend who had felt comfortable enough to talk of any man as pretty. To tell the truth, Naru had never had a friend who would even speak of a man. 'Twas improper, you know.

"Funny, is that? Well I suppose you would find a possitivel blond lengend unattractive. Look at who you like as a girl."

That shut Naru up and quick. But then she just started laughing again. "No, Loel, I was just thinking of what some of the people back at Celenuri would think of us talking of men, of all things."

Loel smiled. "And to think, of us talking about and unmarried man. Tak, the scandal."

Naru smiled at the Celenuri word meaning something between a 'tsk' and a 'sniff'. She missed the sound of that language sometimes.

"Oh!" Loel sat up stiffly. "I forgot!" There were two men downstairs that asked for you. One was dark with a cloak and the other..." Loel grinned but that faded when she saw the look on Naru's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing other than the fact that I've no wish to see that... thing again."

Loels brows went up. "Oh really?"

"Not like that! He's just such a... Keel."

"Hmmm," Loel said. "Then stay here."

"Can't. That cloaked fellow? I have a feeling I know who he is."

Loel nodded and stood up.

"No, stay," Naru motioned her back down.

"I'll be back but I have to leave by mid-morning for another assignment." Then a thought struck her and Naru frowned. "Wait. Why are you here?"

Loel grinned. "To get a job."

Naru left, and trotted down hall and stiars. in a corner table she saw Raleon Hunter and The man who had to be the king. As she approached the hooded man looked up.

"I'll go," Naru told the king, ignoring Raleon.

The hooded man nodded. "Good," the king said. "I'll want a report in two weeks."

He got up and left after a nodd to the innkeeper. Damn, Naru still didn't know his name.

"Look's like we should be getting comfortable. If we're to spend the next two weeks together. My charming little hunter."

Naru didn't bother to even look at him before he got up and strode back up to her room. But in a small window next to the stairs Naru watched him raise a toast to her.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes:

Here's some more, tell me what you think.

Chapter 10

"Look's like we should be getting comfortable. If we're to spend the next two weeks together. My charming little hunter."

Naru didn't bother to even look at him before he got up and strode back up to her room. But in a small window next to the stairs Naru watched him raise a toast to her.

Horses saddled Naru and Raleon stood in the stable yard, the male Hunter easy as he checked the last of his straps and Naru tense enough to make one wonder why she hadn't shattered already. They were due to set off as soon as Loel, the newly hired kitchen maid, brought them the food that Master Braem had sent.

Raleon found everythign in a right order and turned about to see that Naru still had her back turned to him. "You know," he said, "this silence won't last long."

Naru tried her best to ignore him but she couldn't stop the quiver of anger that rushed through her at his words. She caught sight of Loel and swung stiffly into her saddle as she rushed towards the two Hunters.

Raleon thanked the pretty maid with a smile and a wink that he made sure Naru saw. Maybe if she knew that he had no real interest in her she would relax. The maid blushed prettily beofre dropping a slight curtsy and hurrying back inside the inn. Ralwon tied the bundle of food onto his sadlle and mounted.

As one Naru and Raleon set out together though Naru might as well have been alone for all she acted like it. "This silence will end by tonight, Naruviel Hunter."

Naru flinched in surprise, Raleon smile slightly. It seemed that the use of her name go t more out of her. She slid a look on what she thought was the sly. "It will end."

They rode in silence until just a few hour before sun set, setting camp near a pond and a thick covering of trees.

Naru washed quickly and made the dicesion to go ahead and talk to the whining keel. She secured her dark hair out of her face and slung her boots over her shoulders and walked back to their camp.

Having taken a bath earlier than she, Raleon's hair was half dry, hanging just above his shoulders. His blue eyes were warm as they watched the fire and remained so when they shifted to look at her.

Bracing herself she announced, "Stay away from Loel."

"Sorry?" If Raleon had told himself earlier that he had no serious interest in Naru, he was a filthy liar that deserved Purgatory.He dark hair was wet, her eyes feirce and even though he usually went for the full blond types he found himself wanting this she-wolf, with her very provoking eyes.

"You will stay away from my friend, the maid at the inn, Loel. Let her be, if you will."

Raleon raised a brow at her. "And if I don't will?"

This obviously wasn't a good thing to say if Raleon wanted peace but at the moment his thought towards peace wer simply this: Peace be damned!

Naru's face darkened. "You filthy keel!" She was as close to stabbing his through as she had ever been in her life and knew that she wouldn't if she couls that if he were drowning, she would dive in and save him. Ugh, stupid men! "You would play a poor country girl that falsely? You deserve what you get!"

"Do I now? Well, you see," he got to his feet and keeping his eyes on her he gave he a thorough once-over. "There is this one thing that I want to get."

He had the joy of watching her expression change and of leaping on her when she turned to run. She hit the ground beneath him and he applied all his weight to keeping her down. And he listened to the many words that spilled from her mouth in the language of her fathers. "That doesn't sound very nice," he remarked when she stopped for breath.

Naru took a moment to get herself under control. She hiffed at her hair and said "Please," a owrd that did roll off her tongue well.

"Alright," Raleon said. "I want you, Eru knows why, so you'd best be keeping your distance if you don't wish to have me."

Naru didn't answer for the longest time, simply righting her clothes and fighting back something. And then she lifted her head to look at


End file.
